Changeable sign.



7 no. memos. PATENTED mm: 9, 1903. J. N. BRADY. GHANGE'ABLBSIGN. APPLIUATIOK FILED LII '9. 1, 1902,

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1 11b MODEL.

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- No.730,603. PATENTEB UNE 9, 1903.

J. N; BRADY.

GHANGEABLB SIGN.

' APPLIOATIOH FILED U5. 1, 1902.

H0 MODEL. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET Patented June 9, 1903.

PATENT OFF E.

JAMES BRADY, OF CHICAGO, I LLINOIS.

CHANGEABLE SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part oi Letters Patent No. 730,603, dated June 9, 1903.

Application filed August 1, 1902. Serial No. 117,983. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES N. BRADY, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Changeable Signs, of which:

' ter-box the usual frame C now commonly emthe following is a specification.

The object of this invention is the production of a sign the reading matter of which,

may be changed at will. Such a sign maybe used not only by merchants to advertise their goods, but also as a wall-directory for officebuildings, as a railway time-table, to indicate the hours of collection of mail from mailboxes, and for many other purposes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a sign embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on dotted line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the rack for supporting the letterblocks that compose the sign. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the letter-blocks. Fig. dis a front elevation of one of my changeable signs-in its application to a mail-box. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the changeable blocks composing this sign. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one of the racks for supporting letter -blocks, shown detached from Fig. 4. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on dotted line 5 5 of Fig. ,4. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on dotted line 6 6 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 7 is a front elevation showing the arrangement of the partswhere it is necessary to indicate only a few collections from the mailbox. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the filler-blocks used in the frame as illustrated in Fig. 7. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7,.

showing the arrangement where it is necessary to indicate many collections daily;

In the embodiment of the invention herein described I provide a-supporting-rack A, comprising the vertical bar A, having a projecting ear A at its lower end. Rods A extend transversely throug'hsuitable openings in' said bars, and upon these rods are strung letter-blocks A having the central perforation A to receive the rods and bearing upon one or more oftheir faces letters, figures, characters, or words. These letter-blocks may be made of wood, metal, or other suitable material; but to withstand the weather when the sign is used out of doors I have found porcelain with the letters fused upon its surface to lie-desirable.

B representsthe face and framework of my improved sign. It maybe inadein any ornamental form.

1 In the application of my invention to a letployed upon such boxes is retained. A supportingrack-C, having transverse rods C of a suitable length to provide for the, letterby a thumb-screw 0 passing through an opening in the side of the boxfrom the inside thereof outward into a screw-threaded opening in said filler-bar. Where three racks are necessary, a frame Cslightly wider than the usual frame is provided sufficient in width to accommodate three supporting-racks.

The letter-blocks A bear certain hours of collection on each face thereofas, for instance, 7.00, 7.10, 7.20, 7. 30. Different blocks bear different hours, a sufficient variety of blocks being provided to fill all signs properly. One side of the rack may be used to indicate the times of collection of the mail from the box and the other sideto indicate the times'when said collections are due at the post-oflice. In this event the block at the head of the collection-column will bear the words Collect a. m. or Collect p. m.,

' the frame at the upper innersideot' said frame at C At their lower ends the filler-bars C have a projecting ear 0. The filler-bars are also sometimes provided'at their upper ends with a projecting ear C as shown in Fig. 7; but when a thumb-screw C is provided for securing the filler-bar in position such projecting car is dispensed with and the upper edge of the bar beveled off.

Each of the vertical bars 0 is provided at its lower end With a projecting ear C and in some cases with a similar ear 0 at its upper end. When three supporting-racks are employed, Fig. 8, the upper end of the vertical bar 0 of the central rack is beveled off and said rack held in position by means ofa thumb-screw O in order to provide for the removal of all three racks without first removing the frame 0 from the mail-box.

In changing the sign in its application to mail-boxes the filler-bar C or the central rack, when three racks are employed, is removed by unscrewing the thumb-screw C or O and the supporting-racks slid sidewise within the frame to a position Where the blocks A may he removed from the bars of the rack or said racks slid into coincidence with the notches C in said frame and the racks removed bodily therefrom.

It is apparent that various changes might be resorted to in the general form and arrangement of the several parts herein described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, wherefore I wish to have it understood that I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details set forth. a

I claim as myinvention- 1. In a changeable sign, in combination, a

supporting-rack comprising a central bar with supporting-rods extending from opposite supporting rods extending from opposite sides thereof; perforated letter-blocks, each having an opening therethrough, adapted to receive one of said rods; 3. frame for holding said supporting-rack in position; and a filling-block adapted to occupy the portion of the frame not occupied by a supportingrack.

3. In a changeable sign, in combination, a frame having an inwardly-extending flange; a supporting-rack comprising a vertical bar and transverse rods, said vertical bar having an ear adapted to lie under the flange of said frame; and perforated letter-blocks adapted to be strung upon said transverse rods.

4. In a changeable sign, in combination, a frame having an inwardly-extending flange; a supporting-rack comprising a vertical bar and transverse rods, said vertical bar having an ear at each of its ends adapted to lie under the flange of said frame; perforated letterblocks adapted to be strung upon said transverse rods; and a filler-bar.

5. In a changeable sign, in combination, a frame having an inwardly-extending flange; a supporting-rack comprising a vertical bar and transverse rods, said vertical bar having an ear at each of its ends adapted to lie under the flange of said frame; perforated letter-blocks adapted to be strung upon said transverse rods; a filler-bar having at one of its ends an ear adapted to lie under said flange; and a screw for securing the other end of said filler-bar in position.

JAMES N. BRADY.

Witnesses:

L. L. MILLER, M. A. SPEGHT. 

